Acoustic microreactor and methods of use thereof

Abstract

Described herein are microreactors and methods of modifying support particles using acoustic standing waves. A liquid medium containing suspended support particles is flowed along a flow path through a channel, and an acoustic standing wave is applied to the channel to hold the suspended particles at a point in the channel. The held particles are then subjected to one or more reactions by flowing biochemical reactants through the channel. Unbound biological reactant is optionally washed from the channel. The reacted support particles can be released from the acoustic standing wave for further processing using, for example, flow cytometry or fluorescence microscopy.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62 / 116,897 filed on Feb. 16, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]Described herein are devices and methods for manipulating components (e.g., particles) contained in a liquid medium using acoustic standing waves.BACKGROUND[0003]Microfluidics systems are systems in which small volumes of fluid such as those containing particles are processed, e.g., mixed, separated, or moved, typically by flowing them through microchannels in a microfluidic device. Key applications for microfluidics include inkjet print heads, DNA chips, lab-on-a-chip technology, micro-propulsion, and micro-thermal technologies. Recently, flow cytometry has also been accomplished in a microfluidic environment.[0004]Antibodies are used in immunoassays to detect and quantify antigens. While primary antibodies can be labeled by covalently attaching a label ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a method of modifying support particles using an acoustic standing wave. The method involves flowing a liquid medium containing suspended support particles along a flow path through a channel, allowing a first biochemical reactant to bind with the suspended support particles to provide modified held support particles, and optionally flowing a first wash solution to remove unbinding reactant. The process is then repeated using a second biochemical reactant and optionally a second wash solution to remove unbinding second reactant. The modified or further modified held support particles can then be released from the acoustic standing wave for further processing. The technical effect of the patent is to provide a method for efficiently modifying support particles with precision.

Problems solved by technology

Secondary antibodies and avidin can react with more sites on the primary antibody than Protein A or G. This may lead to augmented signal when the former methods are employed, but complicates quantitation of antibody binding.

The utility of Protein A is also limited to some extent by its ability to bind certain subclasses of immunoglobulin.

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